Until he was at the helm of Pixar Animation Studios’ first television special “Toy Story OF TERROR!” it never occurred to director Angus MacLane to substitute a 99-cent rubber bat for a computer generated effect.

“If we did CGI, it was going to cost $1 million, and we just didn’t have that kind of money for effects,” said MacLane. The bat makes a cameo in the 22½ – minute feature “Toy Story OF TERROR!”

The Halloween-themed special takes characters from the studio’s “Toy Story” franchise—including Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Ken (Michael Keaton) and Jessie (Joan Cusack)—and places them in a dumpy motel after a flat tire upset their horror film laden drive to Grandma’s house.

The film debuts at 8 p.m. on Oct 16 on ABC, which, like Pixar, is owned by The Walt Disney Co. It also marks the second time in Pixar history (after “Brave”) that a female character, Jessie in this case, is the main protagonist in one of the company’s movies.

“The story development process actually revealed to us that Jessie was the best candidate to focus on,” said Andrew Stanton in an email. “She already had a well-established fear [of being in small, tight places], and that’s the core emotion of the horror genre.”

Stanton, who co-wrote all three “Toy Story” films, guided MacLane through the storyboarding process and ultimately aided in getting the film green lit.

Watch an exclusive clip from “Toy Story of TERROR!”? Leave your thoughts in the comments.